Begonia plant named &#39;FIBEGOSORA&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Fibegosora’, characterized by its upright to spreading and mounded plant habit; relatively compact; freely basal branching habit; dark purple-colored leaves; freely and continuously flowering habit; and double flowers that are bright orange in color.

Botanical designation: Begonia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIBEGOSORA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Fibegosora’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program was to develop new freely branching and floweringBegonia plants with unique and attractive flower colors.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2011 of a proprietary selection of Begonia hybridaidentified as code number BG-0747, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent and a proprietary selection of Begonia hybrida identified as codenumber BG-0845, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newBegonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollinationin a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative tip cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlandssince 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such astemperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fibegosora’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fibegosora’ as a new and distinct Begoniaplant:

-   -   1. Upright to spreading and mounded plant habit; relatively        compact.    -   2. Freely basal branching habit.    -   3. Dark purple-colored leaves.    -   4. Freely and continuously flowering habit.    -   5. Double flowers that are bright orange in color.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the proprietaryparent selections. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily fromplants of the parent selections in uniformity as plants of the newBegonia are more uniform than plants of the parent selections. Inaddition, plants of the new Begonia are more freely flowering thanplants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia Elatiorhybrid ‘Solenia Orange’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,550. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Begonia differ primarilyfrom plants of ‘Solenia Orange’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Solenia Orange’.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Solenia Orange’.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia are more fully double        than flowers of plants of ‘Solenia Orange’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Fibegosora’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Fibegosora’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and followingobservations and measurements were grown in 12-cm containers during thesummer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 30° C.and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 20° C. Plants were eightweeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia hybrida ‘Fibegosora’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia            hybrida identified as code number BG-0747, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia            hybrida identified as code number BG-0845, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at            temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21 days at            temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 25 days            at temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 28 days            at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            whitish grey in color; actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots; plants of the new Begonia have            not been observed to form tubers.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright to spreading and            mounded plant habit; relatively compact; pendulous with            development; freely basal branching with about nine primary            branches; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 38 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 36 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 5 cm to 13 cm.            Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 195B.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 18 cm. Width: About 11 cm. Shape: Ovate to lanceolate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern:            Palmate; reticulate. Color: Developing leaves, upper            surface: Close to N92A. Developing leaves, lower surface:            Close to 59B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to            N186A; venation, close to N137C. Fully expanded leaves,            lower surface: Close to 59B; venation, close to 137C.            Petioles: Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 195B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Double flowers arranged in axillary cymes;            freely flowering habit with numerous flowers developing per            plant; flowers pendulous and face outwardly to downwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants in full flower about eight            weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the garden            plants flower freely and continuously throughout the summer            in Northern Europe and can be flowered year-round in            greenhouses.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four weeks            on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Inflorescence height (including peduncle).—About 7.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 12 cm.        -   Female flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About            1.1 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Close to N30B.        -   Female flowers.—Diameter: About 6.1 cm. Depth (height):            About 3.5 cm.        -   Female flower tepals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement:            Typically seven per flower arranged in a single whorl.            Length: About 2.4 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Ovate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 33B. When opening, lower surface:            Close to 34B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 32A;            color does not fade with development Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 34B; color does not fade with development.        -   Female flower tepaloids.—None observed.        -   Female flower pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Aspect: About 90° from vertical. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 195B.        -   Female flowers reproductive organs.—Quantity of pistils per            flower: Four. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Style length: About            8 mm. Style color: Close to 14C. Stigma shape: Curled.            Stigma color: Close to 14A. Ovary color: Close to 14D.            Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed development have not been            observed on plants of the new Begonia.        -   Male flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About            1.1 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Close to N34A.        -   Male flowers.—Diameter: About 7.4 cm. Depth (height): About            3.4 cm.        -   Male flower tepals and tepaloids.—Quantity per flower and            arrangement: Typically about 20 per flower arranged in            whorls. Length: About 2.6 cm. Width: About 4 cm. Shape:            Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Close to 33B. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 34B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            32A; color does not fade with development. Fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 34B; color does not fade with            development.        -   Male flower pedicels.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About            4 mm. Aspect: About 90° from vertical. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 195B.        -   Male flowers reproductive organs.—None observed; all            transformed into tepaloids.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Begonia plants has not been observed on plants of the new    Begonia.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Fibegosora’ asillustrated and described.